whiteley



(No Model.) WHITELEY.

I PROGE$S OF MAKING CHAIN LINKS. 7 N0.402 ,'63'7. Patented May -7,1889.7

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WW 00M Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM N. VVHITELEY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILLIAM N.VVHITELEY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,637, dated. May 7,1889.

Application filed June 7, 18-88. Serial No. 276,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM N. WHITELEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the countyof Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes of Making Chain- Links; and I do declare thefollowing to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Heretofore links for malleable chains have been made by simply takingmolds of the patterns in the sand and running the metal into them in theusual manner. Where the side bars of said links are thin and attached toa heavy partat one or both ends, the shrinkage of the larger part issuch as to weaken the link at point of juncture, and practically renderit valueless. I

The object of my invention is to make a chain that will be strong in allits parts and practical to make by the employment of a chill, ashereinafter described, in casting the two links joined together, showingone mode of fastening the links together to make a complete chain. Fig.2 is a side view of a link with the chill in position, as used when themetal'to form link is poured into the mold. Fig. 3 is an end view of thechill, showing it as if removed from link shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aplan view of a link with chill in position when the link is cast.

a a, Fig. 1, represent th e two links connect-ed by bolt a, which isheld in place by split key a 11 is the chill.

In casting chain-links of the form herein shown, where the side barsjoin the main cylindrical part of the link, the heavy metal at thejuncture of the arms of the chain-link causes a serious shrinkage, sothat while in other respects the chain was very strong they usuallybroke off at this juncture. Attempts have been made to relieve thistrouble by casting the cylindrical part upon a chill; but it has beenfound in experience that the chill is of practical value only when it isapplied directly to the place where an unusual shrinkage would otherwiseoccur, and thus the metal is quickly cooled at the point of contact withthe chill and kept perfectly compact and strong, while the other partsof the link cool off uniformly, or nearlyv so, and a solid casting freefrom shrinkage is thus produced. If the casting forming the chain-linkis solid, however hard it may be by being highly charged with carbon,the subsequent annealing process reduces the hardness, and this is donemore perfectly where it is charged Very high with carbon than if withless. This insures a practical and reliable chain-link, and while theprocedure is applicable to different styles of chain-links it isespecially adapted to the form of link herein shown and described, whichpossesses many advantages over those ordinarily made and used, exceptingthe fact that in casting the links the imperfection caused by joiningthe bars to the cylinder rendered the chain impractical. This difficultyis now entirely overcome by the chilling process herein set forth.

My invention, being fully set forth and described in the foregoingspecification, is fully illustrated by the accompanying drawings, by

the aid of which any person skilled in the art can fully understand andapply my invention.

Heretofore it has been impracticable to cast chain-links with thin sidebars and heavy ends, because of the irregular shrinkage in cooling,causing the casting to crack at the juncture .of the thin and heavyparts; but by placing the chill as shown the links can be made perfect,as will be well understood by any one skilled in the art. I am awarethat chills have been used heretofore in connecand afterward removingthe carbon from the IQ tion with castings. Therefore I donot claim ironby an annealing process.

the chill broadly. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in I Vhat Ido claim, and desire to secure by the presence of two witnesses.

5 letters Patent, is 7 T Casting chain-links of high-carbon iron withILLIAM FELEY' a chill in their fork shaped to correspond Vitnesses:therewith, for the purpose of making the cast- WILLIAM II. BEVITT, ingsolid where the sides join the cross-bars, SOL J. HOUCK.

